Lowenstein House Bed and Breakfast full of local history

Thursday

May 2, 2013 at 2:47 PMMay 2, 2013 at 3:02 PM

Those visiting the Grand River area will now have another option for lodging thanks to a new business in Chillicothe.

Those visiting the Grand River area will now have another option for lodging thanks to a new business in Chillicothe.The Lowenstein House Bed and Breakfast opened its doors with a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting Tuesday. Business owners David Mammen and Mark McCulley hope to provide a unique lodging experience for area visitors."We're trying to make this a little bit more of a step up than a motel," McCulley said. "We're giving you a memory foam king-size mattress with the Egyptian cotton sheets and down comforter; your own personal plush robes that you can use while you're here. We're trying to provide that little extra treat."The house was completed in 1897 by well-known businessman Abraham Lowenstein and his wife, Mamie Marks Lowenstein. According to his death notice printed in The Chillicothe Constitution on Feb. 12, 1919, Lowenstein was born and raised in Germany until the age of 16. He lived in New York City until moving to Chillicothe in 1877. Lowenstein operated a produce business on the corner of Locust and Calhoun streets for 38 years before his death in 1919.Mammen said the house has been kept in great condition, and was the perfect location for this type of business."The house has been very well preserved," Mammen explained. "We saw this house and thought it's perfect with the way it's set up - the staircases, the rooms, the openings."The house retains much of its 19th century charm, including the original lighting fixtures on the main floor. Mammen said when decorating the house for the new business, he and McCulley wanted to create a unique look and feel by combining those antique elements with modern furniture and decorations."It's kind of the new with the old," Mammen explained. "We didn't want it fully antique. We wanted it livable. We wanted it to have some kind of modern amenities, but not to take away from the charm of the house."The house, located at 919 Calhoun St., is currently owned by Gregory Miller and his wife Carrie, and while the couple has no stake in the bed and breakfast inside the house, Mammen and McCulley said they are supportive of business and their mission to give back to the community. Mammen and McCulley hope to promote local businesses in all facets of the bed and breakfast."We're trying to use local businesses on our website," Mammen said. "We're trying to use local businesses inside the house. The jellies we get from a local canner. The cream cheese dips (served at the ribbon cutting) were from a local canner. We're using the local pastry shop in town for all our pastries. We're still trying to get a hold of some people for soaps. We want as much advertised for the community as we can.""One of the other things we're looking into doing, too, is partnering up with some local people for gift certificates out to eat or a massage," McCulley explained. "It would be like a package deal. We're still in that beginning stage of developing a lot of stuff."Guests at The Lowenstein House will have their choice of three different lodging packages. The master en suite includes the master bedroom with master bathroom, dressing room and walk-in closet attached. It rents for $85 per night, plus taxes. The second, smaller bedroom includes its own private bathroom across the hall. The third option, for $200, is to rent the entire house. This includes both the master en suite, the second bedroom and a third bedroom with a full-sized bed. The business' first booking chose this third option."We have our first booking that a family of seven with two kids will be staying for the weekend over graduation," McCulley said. "They'll utilize the house also as the place where they will have their graduation party and dinner."For more information about the Lowenstein House Bed and Breakfast, or to book a reservation, call 660-247-5502.

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